Morgarten Shooting Festival cancelled

Due to the corona pandemic, the organizers have found it impossible to carry out of the traditional Morgarten shooting festival 2020.

The Morgarten Shooting Festival (Morgarten Schutzenfest) is not only an event of great importance for marksman, but is also a folk festival for the village of Morgarten, and enjoys a high status in the canton of Zug. But, with a heavy heart, the organizers have now had to cancel this year’s celebrations. The Corona pandemic has made it impossible to carry out it, explains John Hüssy, Vice President and Media Officer of the Morgarten Schiessverband (shooting association): "The historic Morgarten Shooting Festival takes place in the open air on a large meadow above the Morgarten battle monument. At the same time, however, the historic Morgarten Hütte is the meeting place for marksmen from all over Switzerland. In addition, around 1,500 guests, guests of honour, sponsors and Friends of the Morgarten Shooting Festival (Freunde des Morgartenschiessens), as well as countless fans get together within a very small space." The minimum social distance is thereby unenforceable, especially during the shooting competition itself.

"There are normally 70 marksmen standing/lying next to each other at the shooting line," explains Hüssy. It would be difficult to re-arrange this, because it’s an important part of the shooting camaraderie, says the vice president.

Gastronomy was included in the planning
Although everyone looks forward to the Morgarten Shooting Festival, and treat it as a special holiday, the marksmen have shown full understanding for the decision of the association, emphasizes John Hüssy.

Impression of the Morgarten shooting festival 2019. Shooting, tradition, monument, riflemen

This is despite the fact that no alternative programme is envisaged. The fact that the association would thereby also lose a major source of income can be accepted: "Our decision-making process, which has been carried out in a comprehensive manner, together with a well-functioning communication among all participants of the organizing institutions, will save us from the negative financial consequences."

The celebrations around the annual Morgarten Shooting Festival are also of great importance for the local catering industry: "The whole catering sector was involved in the decision-making process." says Hüssy. But no additional event has been planned at the moment for the restaurant companies. "All the helpers, as well as the Morgartenschützen-Commission as the organizing body, work together for a good cause according to the militia principle, without any compensation, but with idealism and passion. They have all supported the decision without making any demands," says the Vice-President proudly, adding: "That is the living Morgarten spirit!"

The organisers are now hoping to be able to carry out the festival next year. "The 107th historic Morgarten Shooting Festival will be planned from the ground up – properly and adequate – within the usual framework for 15 November 2021, and will be organised in the hope that we will then have a sustainable overview despite the Covid 19 pandemic," says John Hüssy.
This hope is likely to be shared by the riflemen and by festival friends, who will have to commemorate the Battle of Morgarten at home this year.